Avoid duplication. Information should live in only one place. You don’t want to be responsible for updating your site every time IU Admissions or the Registrar’s Office changes their content. Introduce a topic and then link to the original source of information for more details.

Think about the mobile experience. Many of our web users will access your website through a mobile device. When creating content, consider how it might display on a phone or tablet.

Break up text. When you switch topics, use a new headline and start a new paragraph.

Write in blocks, not long narratives. This helps the user—an information forager—to scan the page and find the content important to them. Keep paragraphs and sentences short and in separate sections with appropriate headings. Try to keep pages between 300 and 500 words.

Distill information. Avoid creating a new page when a section on an existing page will do.

Emphasize key information + tasks. Use formatting, headlines, different content blocks, and short paragraphs to draw attention.

Talk to the reader. Use pronouns when possible (“you will,” “we can,” “if you want more information”) rather than third person (“the user will,” “the student can,” “if one wants more information”).

Be consistent. Maintain a consistent conversational tone and voice.

Use bulleted lists. This helps improve readability and helps users digest complicated information.

Create actionable content. Put content relevant to the users’ tasks front-and-center. Use “Call to Action (CTA)” buttons to help the user easily engage with the website.

Use descriptive + active call to action labels. A user should be able to cover the rest of the text on the page and still understand the call to action. For example, “Become a conversation partner” or “View our research.” This also helps users who use screen readers better understand the task to be completed.

Link to relevant pages. You can use call to action buttons or contextual links to connect your users to other pages on your website (or external websites) that may be useful.

Include images that are appropriate for the content. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words. On a website, a picture that matches the content add value and visual interest. These can be used as banners, photo essays, overlays, etc.